bmibaby - Destinations: Malaga Ski

best restaurant:
Ruta del Veleta
Take off those skies, rip off that thermal gear and head a few kilometres down the mountain to Granada's finest eaterie, Ruta del Veleta. Run by brothers José and Miguel Pedraza, this restaurant is a must for gourmands. Feast on succulent lamb baked with fresh herbs picked from the mountainside that very day, venison with foie gras or fresh fish baked in salt. Then treat yourself to warm, home-made chocolate served with porridge ice cream. Its wine cellar is among the very best in Andalucía.
Where > Ruta de Veleta, Carretera Sierra Nevada, Cenes de la Vega
Website > www.rutadelveleta.com

best advice:
Get help from the British Ski Center
Love the idea of careering down the 86-kilometres of piste in the Sierra Nevada, but don’t know your twin tips from your parallel turns? Then worry not. Giles Birch and Jonathan Buzzard from the British Ski Center at the ski resort are on hand to help. With prices starting at €38 per class and in a language you can understand, Señores Brown and Buzzard will soon have you bombing down those pistes like a regular Alberto Tomba.
Where > British Ski Center, inside the Intersport Rio sports shop, Plaza de Andalucía, Pradollano, Sierra Nevada
Website > www.britishskicenter.co.uk

best alternatives to skiing:
mountain biking, snowshoeing and trekking
Tired of skiing? Bored of waiting in line at the chair lifts? Then why not spend a day taking a leisurely tour of the southern face of the Sierra Nevada on a mountain bike with Ride Tribe? Or how about snowshoeing or mountain treks? Outdoor pursuit company Spanish Highs can even organise thrilling Siberian husky-led treks in the Sierra Nevada. Mush mush!
Where > Ride Tribe, Tel: +34 638 42 79 67, Spanish Highs, Tel: +34 660 013 445
Website > www.ride-tribe.com, www.spanishhighs.co.uk

best winter warmer:
Lumumba
Make like a local and order a lumumba; a warming mug of hot chocolate that contains more than a generous splash of brandy. It's the perfect companion to a chill winter's day, and will put more than a stride in your step as you head for the ski lifts in the morning. Try it for breakfast along with freshly prepared churros (filling and delicious, these are nothing more than thick strips of deep-fried batter) at Taberna El Cartujano on the ground floor of the Mont Blanc building.
Where > Edificio Mont Blanc, local 3 (opposite Hotel Melia), Plaza Pradollano, Monachil, Sierra Nevada, Tel: +34 958 480 927

best hardcore skiing with a view:
Velata
For the more experienced skiers, how about an exhilirating head-long run from the peak of Veleta? The second highest peak in mainland Spain (after Mulhacen, which is in the same mountain range), Veleta towers over the Sierra Nevada ski resort. At almost 3,400 metres above sea level, its network of red and black runs is strictly for professionals. Accessed by the Zayas T-bar and the Laguna chairlift, do not miss the stunning views out to the Mediterranean sea and, on clear winter days, the coast of North Africa and the Rif mountains. Catching the afternoon sun transforming the sea to a blanket of gold is, perhaps, one of the most memorable sights you will take away with you from the Sierra Nevada.
Where > The mountain of Veleta is located above the Sierra Nevada ski resort, just south of Granada in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, 90 minutes' drive from Malaga